Meaning
by RQK
Summary: Littlefoot has lost something, and they ask him what it is. However, the meaning of his answer is completely mistaken. And it is when they find out what he meant that they realize they need each other even more. One Shot


The Great Valley was rather dark today. It didn't take long for them to tell the sky water would fall soon. It was because of this the six became leery. Fortunately, the roots of the nearby trees could give them shelter.

However, the fact that there was only six of them begged the question. "Where's Littlefoot?" Petrie asked.

Cera gave a look to the little flyer sitting on her head, "I haven't seen him."

Ducky shook her head, "That's not good. No no no."

Chomper gave a look of concern, "Yeah, I haven't seen him since the sky ball appeared." He glanced up toward the sun, which was now directly overheard.

"Augh." Cera gave a stamp into the dirt, "Where is he?"

Lightning boomed up ahead, as it had been since the sky ball was halfway up the sky. The report sounded many times as it echoed off the walls of the valley. However, this time the thunderclap was accompanied by a sprinkle of water.

Ruby gave a shudder as the loud noises came from all directions. "Oh I hope he's all right. The weather's getting worse…"

One such droplet landed in Cera's eye as she looked up at the dark clouds overhead. She started to blink madly as the eyeball was momentarily irritated by the sudden sensation. This of course gained a few giggles from the others.

The sky water started to fall harder, and it was at that point Spike resigned toward the nearest tree root hallow.

As Petrie was splashed by a rain drop, which at his scale he was like having a stone landing on top of him, he was the first to comment. "That's a good idea Spike. Me don't want to get wet."

Ducky, on the other hand, simply broke into an uncontrollable grin. "You joking? Sky water great! I like it, I like it a lot."

Cera snuffed, "You would." She also started toward the tree, "Come on."

Chomper let out a brief chuckle at Cera's snarky comment, mostly because it was true.

Ducky came up next to Spike, and then used the energy in her legs to hop up onto his back. Not even a moment later, they arrived underneath the hallow under the tree. This meant that she no longer needed a ride, and therefore her initial reason for jumping up was immediately voided, but she was more comfortable up there anyways.

Cera and Petrie arrived a moment after they did, and the latter then dismounted the former. "Ohhh… brrr…" he shook his wings rapidly to get the water out. "Water bad for flying."

Cera chuckled, "That reminds me, remember the time when we _had_ no water?"

Ducky nodded, "Yep yep yep, that was not very good."

"And that fire…" Cera shivered.

"Oh yeah," Petrie chuckled, "and you and your dad almost…"

Ruby turned toward them, "Huh? I don't remember that."

Petrie came up to them, "It before you came here. Yeah, no water. Then fire, and Cera almost d-"

There was a loud sigh from nearby, and it was only then they noticed they weren't alone. Their heads immediately swiveled to find a fifth member in the hallow. The bend in the space partially concealed the figure, but they knew who it was already.

"Littlefoot?" Ducky asked.

"Oh hey," Cera said, "We've been looking all over for you."

Littlefoot almost didn't respond. He simply gave them a glance before turning his eyes back to the blank stare he had before.

Cera was the last dinosaur to look concerned for him, but however was the first to comment on it, "Hey, what's wrong Littlefoot?"

"Yeah," Ducky echoed, "What's wrong?"

Littlefoot shook his head. "Uh, it's nothing." But his voice betrayed him heavily.

Spike made a whimpering sound, as if protesting. He certainly didn't think Littlefoot was being truthful, which was voiced by Ducky a moment later.

Littlefoot looked at them sadly, before saying, "Do you really want to know?"

Petrie stepped forward, "We friends Littlefoot, why wouldn't we want know?" His argument was backed up as the others nodded in agreement behind him.

Littlefoot glanced at each one of them before sighing again. "All right. Well… umm… you see…" He shook his head to give his thoughts a shake, thinking it would bring order to his chaotic mind. "Where should I begin?"

"At the beginning?" Cera asked, oblivious to the fact it was a question not meant for her to answer.

Littlefoot frowned, before saying, "You know how Grandma's been ill? And that it's really bad?

A moment of silence passed between them, though around them was a different story. Another roar of thunder passed through the valley was lightning struck the ground again.

"Yeah. What about it?" Cera asked.

The long-neck nodded, "Well, it got worse today."

The world around them seemed to stop for a split-second, before resuming its chaos.

Chomper's lip quivered. "Wha… what happened?"

Petrie tried to guess, "You mean she feel really bad now?

"Really bad." he replied. "Too bad, actually. She's been fighting it for the past six sky balls. But today… she decided…"

As their young minds were not built to fathom such possibilities, they guessed at other things. "She decided to just let it be?" Chomper asked.

Ruby put forth her own guess, "She decided to journey for a cure?"

That gave Petrie a thought, "To the mysterious beyond?"

However, Littlefoot took Petrie's guess as another meaning entirely, "Yes, she went to the mysterious beyond."

Cera was silent for a moment, before lightly stamping a foot into the dirt, "Well? We should go after her, make sure she's safe."

Ducky nodded. "There are sharpteeth in the mysterious beyond, there are, there are."

Ruby nodded, "Especially Redclaw."

"And his goons." added Chomper, who couldn't help but display a quick grin at his humor.

Spike however, shook his head. "No… what mean." He said, bringing that into attention.

Ducky looked down at the pair of eyes below her, "What do you mean?"

Littlefoot explained for him, "He's right, that wasn't what I meant."

They all turned toward him, "But…" Cera began, "What did you mean then? There's only one mysterious beyond you know."

Littlefoot shook his head. "No, there is another mysterious beyond. I don't know where it is, maybe it's on the sky ball. Maybe it's far away in the sky. I don't know. But, it's not the mysterious beyond we know."

Chomper popped the question that was on everyone's mind, "What's different about that mysterious beyond?"

Ducky added on to that, "Is it a beautiful place like the valley? With no sharpteeth?"

Littlefoot looked down at the ground. "I don't know. I don't know what it looks like. All I know, is the mysterious beyond I'm talking about, is the one my mom went to."

A moment of realization hit Cera like a three-horn hit a rock. There was no verbal sign to indicate this, but her face slowly grew into one of surprise and shock. "You… you don't mean…"

Littlefoot could only nod sadly.

Cera, in a rare moment of humility, then started to tear up. "Wha… why?" She immediately gained looks from the others.

Spike knew right away that she had found out the truth. He had been the first to figure it out, and the look on Cera's face did not betray his hypothesis.

Petrie, on the other hand, was tempted to burst out laughing. He was seeing a side of Cera he had thought he would never see. Had it not been that the nuance of Littlefoot's story put him in a somber mood, he would have been sure never to let Cera forget that. And he was too shocked to care anyways.

"I asked G-grandpa, and h-he said, that she couldn't stand the pain anymore. She… stopped fighting." His voice shook as he literally tried to force the words out of his throat. "She… gave up."

"What…" Petrie choked, "When this happen?"

Littlefoot stole a glance at the rain, "When the thunder started."

They all were dumbfounded, it had been a long time. They were surprised they had not heard about it.

"And…" Littlefoot began, finding it hard to even form a sentence, "I was there when she… And she told me she loved me. M-more than anything in the world." Now he was talking more to himself than to his friends. "And then… she went c-c-cold. Now… now…"

Littlefoot finally broke down into tears.

The others looked at him sadly, and it was at that moment that the rest of them figured out what was wrong. "Oh Littlefoot…" Ducky said, her voice shaking.

Spike, however, moved in. He picked a place close to the long-neck, and settled down. Without saying a single word, he made a statement; "I am here for you."

The two smaller friends came alongside Littlefoot and Spike, and nuzzled in close. They were immediately followed by Cera and Chomper.

Ruby, meanwhile, had a thought. She connected the dots, and then said, "The weather turned bad when you started to feel bad Littlefoot." she said. In an effort to be poetic she said, "The land cries with you…"

She then came over and joined the little huddle that had formed under the root of the tree. She then settled down herself, and flayed her head on the ground.

No one was tired, certainly not in the middle of the day. Nonetheless, they drifted off into sleep, aided by the fact they needed each other, now more than ever.


End file.
